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The Next Generation LibrarySun, 10 Dec 2017 18:52:06 +0000en-UShourly1Essay on Sarvapalli Radhakrishnanhttp://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/essay/sarvapalli-radhakrishnan/essay-on-sarvapalli-radhakrishnan/66745
Tue, 27 Oct 2015 08:05:38 +0000http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/?p=66745Essay on Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan! Essay on Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan # Short Life and Works: Dr. S. Radhakrishnan was born at Tiruttani in Tamil Nadu, a noted place of pilgrimage in South India. He graduated from the Madras Christian College. He obtained his Master’s degree in philosophy from the Madras University in 1910. He served his apprenticeship […]

Essay on Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan # Short Life and Works:

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan was born at Tiruttani in Tamil Nadu, a noted place of pilgrimage in South India.

He graduated from the Madras Christian College. He obtained his Master’s degree in philosophy from the Madras University in 1910.

He served his apprenticeship as professor of philosophy in Madras (Chennai), then in Mysore, drinking deep of Western philosophy and working hard with Sanskrit scholars. He gained success as a teacher for his erudition, scholarship, oratory and sincerity.

From Mysore he went to Calcutta (Kolkata) and was appointed as the Professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy. He held the Chair of the King George V. For more than twenty years he was closely associated with the Calcutta University. This was the most creative period of his life.

Here he wrote his famous intellectual products which gave him world-wide academic distinction and fame. He received invitations for lecturing in the universities of England and America. He had profound wisdom and unparalleled power of oratory. He could spellbound his audience with erudite thoughts and lively oration.

He became the Professor of Comparative Religion and Philosophy in the University of Oxford in 1929. But he could not stay there for a long time. He was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the newly established Andhra University in 1931 and stayed there for five years.

In 1940 he was offered the Spalding Chair of Eastern Religion and Ethics at Oxford University. This was no doubt a rare academic distinction. Then he became the Vice-Chancellor of the Benaras Hindu University. He was invited by the Chinese Government to deliver lectures on philosophy and religion.

As Chairman of the University Commission (1948-1949) he intended to re-fashion and re-orient the system of higher education in the country. The report of the Commission is an important educational document in the field of higher education. He was also appointed as the Chairman of the University Grants Commission by the Government, of India. He served as representative of India in the UNESCO.

From this time his political career started. He served as a member of the Constituent Assembly. From 1949-1952, he was the Ambassador of India to the USSR. His service in Moscow is memorable. Due to his unique personality and sincere effort Indo-Soviet friendship was stronger.

In 1952, he was elected the Vice-President of India and was re-elected in 1957. Soon his influence was felt in and outside Parliament. For ten years he was the life and soul of the Upper House (Rajya Sabha) of the Indian Parliament. As Chairman of the House he built up a tradition with his great wisdom, dignified manner, personality, sense of justice and humor.

In 1962, Dr. Radhakrishnan was elected the President of India — the highest office in Indian public life. The greatest philosopher of modern India was again honored in 1967 when he was awarded “Bharatratna” — the highest Governmental honor. Dr. Radhakrishnan not only attained honor and respect for his unparalleled learning and wisdom but also reputation as a seasoned and balanced personality all over the world.

As an educational philosopher his contribution was equally unique. He carried the message of India’s philosophy and religion (love, sympathy, cooperation, peace) to all parts of the world. He enlarged the intellectual and spiritual vision of mankind.

He had phenomenal memory and legendary power of eloquence. His erudition and scholarship are clearly evident in his numerous writings. His works include “The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore”, “Indian Philosophy”, “An Idealist View of Life”, “East and West in Religion”, “The Hindu View of Life”, “The Future of Civilisation”, “Eastern Religion and Western Thought”, “Education, Politics and War”, “Bhagavad-Gita”, “The Recovery of Faith”, “Fellowship of Spirit”, “The Concept of Man”, “My Search for Truth”, “Religion and Society”, “The Principal Upanishads”, “Freedom and Culture”.

Essay on Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan # His Philosophy of Life and Education:

Dr. Radhakrishnan’s contribution to education is unique and unparalleled. He was not only an idealist philosopher but also a practical educationist. Though he was a great philosopher, he saw life from very close quarters and in entirety.

He believes that education must encompass a wider frontier where the human spirit may roam and wander, ask questions, search questions for the deeper values of life and realise the spiritual reality.

As a philosopher, an educationist, an administrator, and a statesman, he commanded an excellent vantage point from where he could see that the whole human business was moving towards a fatal destiny, and only education of the right type could save it from a tragic finale.

Radhakrishnan opines that no doubt human beings are conditioned by the physical and social environment but they should not be indifferent to the basic values of life. Indifferent attitude to basic values of life means negation of life, decline of standards and defeat of human endeavour. Radhakrishnan objected to this state of things as he was an optimist and not a pessimist about human life and destiny.

He points out to the disillusion and confusion of our age where “our values are blurred, our thought is confused, and our aims are wavering.” Man does not live by bread alone. He must have faith. Faith is the watchword of Vedanta. This faith is more than just belief. It is a commitment, and life without commitment is not worth its value. The spirit of faith in man is all-pervading.

Such faith is at least threefold in nature:

(i) Faith in God and in an orderly universe, which is God’s creation,

(ii) Faith in man who occupies an unique place in the universal scheme of God.

(iii) Faith in himself — one must realise that there is a divine aspect within him. Divinity in man is innate. The man who has lost faith in himself has lost himself. He is a lost soul.

There is a close relationship between education and philosophy in any society, for education is essentially a socio-philosophic enterprise. The fact remains that the problems of education are the problems of philosophy. In Radhakrishnan, philosophy and education go hand in hand. His educational thinking needs to be studied in the context of his view of life. His philosophy is not an ivory tower. It has social and practical relevance.

Radhakrishnan’s philosophy is idealism. This means that life has a purpose, and ideals and values are the dynamic forces that give direction to life and help it to achieve its goal. Philosophy helps to understand the truth of life or existence. Aims of education are determined by the aims of life, and the aims of life are guided and shaped by the aims of philosophy. Values and ideals regulate and direct human life.

This world implies an absolute reality. It is an expression of the Absolute. The Absolute, Radhakrishnan explains, is God. Man is essentially good. He is part of the eternal divinity. But “man is complex, multidimensional being.” He is not only spirit he has also mind, life and body. He is indivisible. Nothing in him can be rejected or separated. Everything in him is the expression of the Divine.

Essay on Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan # Aims and Ideals of Education:

Aims of education are determined by the philosophy of education. Philosophy is universal while the aims of education are particular. These may differ from country to country and society to society. Aims depend on the nature of the society and its philosophy, i.e., social philosophy. The Preamble of our Constitution envisages a particular type of social philosophy.

Our educational program should aim at the realisation of democratic values — justice, liberty, equality rule of law, toleration, cooperation and fraternity. Democracy implies a belief in the inherent worth of the individual and in the dignity and value of human life. Individual is the basis of democracy. The aim of education is to guide every individual to realise and develop the inherent potentialities in him to the maximum.

Education aims to develop the individual, to discover, train and utilise his special talents for the social good. True education aims at harmonisation of both individual and social good. Education is not a discipline to be imposed from above.

It is a process to lead upwards the inward nature to its fulfillment. All true development is self-development. The process of education is continuous and life-long. The pupil learns from the teacher, from himself, from his school and college fellows, and from his life’s experience.

There are three types of existence — the natural, the social and the spiritual. These are inter-related. Hence the content of education should be classified under three groups:

(a) Science and Technology — which are concerned with our relation to nature;

(b) Social Sciences — concerned with our relation to society; and

(c) Philosophy, Arts and Literature — concerned with our relation to values or spiritual existence. The different branches of knowledge should be treated as parts of a whole.

According to Radhakrishnan the house of knowledge cannot be divided against itself. Human knowledge is integrated knowledge. One sector of knowledge cannot be separated from the other, “Education must look to the whole man.”

A free society is composed of free citizens. True freedom is an inward quality, a function of the mind and spirit. Educational a institutions should aim at developing independent thinking and critical spirit, freedom of conscience. Bertrand Russell opines: “Where independent thinking dies out, weeds of propaganda originate.”

In the opinion of Jawaharlal Nehru, universities should adventure for new ideas — “Universities are the homes of intellectual adventure.” These are centers of excellence and, as such, they should encourage individuality. A variety of thought is essential not only for human existence but also for human progress.

Our education should encourage the development in its members of fearlessness of mind, strength of conscience and integrity of purpose. Without moral freedom, democracy is colorless, says University Education Commission (1948-49).

Universities should always strive to cultivate new truth and knowledge. Dissemination of learning and incessant search for new truth and knowledge is one of the fundamental aims of a modern university. Radhakrishnan attached great importance on the value of individualism stressing how the discoveries of science, the great masterpieces of art, literature and music were the outcome of the free individual mind. Education is not merely a means to earning a living. It is, according to Indian tradition, a training of human souls in the pursuit of truth and in the practice of virtue.

The aim of education is to develop respect for humanity at large and to develop human values. “Welfare and betterment of humanity is the ultimate goal of university education” (UEC). Education always has human appeal. “Universities are dwelling houses of humanism and idealism. They stand for democracy, nationalism and humanism.”

Man is above everything, even above God. There is nothing higher than man. There is essential divinity in man. Every human individual has in him an eternal spark, a creative element. This is the spiritual nature of man. This spiritual nature brings one individual closer to another.

The purpose of education is to recognise this spiritual quality and to work for its fulfillment. This spiritual nature of man helps to foster international peace, amity and friendship.

Education aims at creating a new social order. Education is essentially a social enterprise. It is an essential function of education to impart current social vision. We do not live and work in a social vacuum. Social justice demands that we create a society free from all evils like poverty, disease, hunger, ignorance, inequality and communal frenzy. Material standard of life has to be raised and national productivity has to be increased by the use of scientific discoveries and technical applications. Technology is changing the face of the modern world.

It is now one of the important factors of national development and economic progress. Universities should try to foster technical education at the highest level. They must meet the manpower needs for national development in all directions. Proper utilisation of the natural and human resources is inevitable for speedy economic development in all walks of life.

Any intellectual progress demands a spirit of free enquiry. All education is expected to be liberal. It should have the power to free men from the shackles of ignorance, prejudice and unfounded belief. Free, critical and independent thinking is essential for social advancement and cultural enrichment. According to Vedanta, knowledge is power. It is the third eye. That is why Goethe, in his dying moment, said: “Light, more light”. Our Upanishads — the store­house of eternal knowledge, says: “Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya” — lead us from darkness to light.

The aim of education is to preserve and enrich civilisation. Educational institutions are organs of civilisation. The quality of civilisation depends not on the material prosperity or the political machinery but on the character of men. The major task of education is the training and improvement of character (University Education Commission).

Education is a great instrument of social emancipation. Equal opportunity of education should be provided to every citizen — irrespective of caste, creed, social and economic status. This is an egalitarian principle which is the basis of democracy and social justice.

But equal opportunity does not mean identical opportunity; it means the equal availability of education for every person and education according to one’s ability, interest and aptitude.

Education is to bring national cultural resurgence. Preservation of the cultural heritage of India is a must for the national unity of the country. Universities should not only preserve but also enrich India’s rich cultural heritage. Indian universities are still alien implantations not integrated into our national cultural life. Culture signifies intellectual alertness, receptivity to beauty, noble ideas and new thoughts and values.

Such a culture can serve as a cohesive force to hold the society together. This can provide a deeper foundation for our national unity. “The chief source of spiritual nourishment for any people must be its own past perpetually rediscovered and renewed.” But we should not accept past heritage blindly. We must be critical and selective.

The greatness of a culture depends on its contribution to human growth. A healthy living and dynamic culture must be creative. It must react to every new change, and must respond to every new challenge — physical, social or spiritual.

Radhakrishnan has beautifully expressed the role of continuity and change in these words: “Mere continuity without change results in sluggishness and stagnation; mere change without continuity means restlessness and anarchy. All significant change is a growth from the past into the future. This growth is the expression of the free spirit of man. We should not be the prisoners of the past but pilgrims of the future.”

Indian universities should serve as a trustee, the conscience of the nation, and maintain a splendid balance between the new pulls and forces and the old ones. Education has the sacred duty to protect the driving forces of culture and to preserve the values of democracy such as justice, liberty, equality and fraternity.

Radhakrishnana finds man full of contradictions — good and bad, virtue and vice. He can create good things as well as bad ones. It is almost paradoxical that man can rise to heights of genius or fall into depths of degradation. This duality, this dichotomy in his nature has to be overcome through education.

Man must become one, so as to reflect the higher tendencies in him. “The divinity in the human heart is fighting constantly the un-divine parts. So much of it is darkness, yet the light is there, and the light will overcome the darkness, until at last human individual becomes a manifestation of the true spirit of man.” “Religion is the manifestation of divinity already in man”, says Vivekananda. Swamiji further states that “education is the manifestation of perfection already in man.”

Man should overcome the vices and miseries of life through constant struggle. Education helps to strengthen this struggle for divinity. It is education which helps the dispersal of evil impulses and un-divine forces in man.

Interaction of Matter and Spirit — is a theme of great importance in the writings of Radhakrishnan. Because of the tremendous impact of science and technology on human life some people are of the opinion that matter is the most important thing in our life. Marx emphasised matter, Hegel spirit. But the spirit or the human mind is superior to matter.

Human spirit is omnipotent, says Radhakrishnan. It is the spirit of man which controls and guides matter. Man is essentially a spiritual being. It is this spiritual element of man which is responsible for all the great achievements in this world.

But we cannot embrace spirituality alone and neglect material existence of man altogether which greatly influences human life. We cannot summarily brush aside the material prosperity of the Western nations. The only way out is a happy blending of Indian spirituality and Western materialism.

An effective unison of Indian spirituality and Western materialism can save human destiny from complete annihilation. Education should thrive in this direction. Radhakrishnan thus symbolizes the past and the future, the ancient and modern.

He creates a bridge of understanding between the East and the West — Eastern wisdom and Western materialism. And this modern bridge of synthesis leads to the true ideas and ideals of future education.